Cancer patients share stories of survival

PORTSMOUTH — Keynote speaker Denise Desimone told her audience they should kiss themselves in the mirror every day.

Comment

By Suzanne Laurent

seacoastonline.com

By Suzanne Laurent

Posted May. 5, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Suzanne Laurent
Posted May. 5, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — Keynote speaker Denise Desimone told her audience they should kiss themselves in the mirror every day.

Desimone shared her personal story of a cancer diagnosis and her own spiritual, and often painful, journey to recovery with about 95 cancers survivors at the fourth annual Seacoast Survivor Day on Saturday. The event was hosted by the oncology department of Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Diagnosed with neck cancer in 2005, Desimone had extensive surgery and radiation that damaged her esophagus. She had to have a feeding tube for nine months and had to have her esophagus stretched to be able to eat and drink — and sing — again.

Desimone was diagnosed with cancer after just completing the Pan-Mass Challenge, the nation's original fundraising bike-a-thon, sponsored by the Boston Red Sox and New Balance, with all money raised going to cancer research and treatment through the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund.

After a lengthy recovery during which Desimone said she meditated and talked to "PIN," her name for her cancer (short for Pain in the Neck), she said she finally came to a place of self-forgiveness.

"In the end, you need to ask yourself, 'Did I love? Did I live? And, did I matter?'" she said.

Desimone was asked to sing the national anthem during the Pan-Mass Challenge Day at Fenway Park. She said someone once asked her if she had a choice, would she choose to have cancer or not.

"I said I would choose to have cancer," she said. "It changed me and showed me what was really important."

Local cancer survivor Therese Way of Portsmouth also spoke during the morning brunch. She was just 30 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast. She wanted to get the message out for both women and men to be aware of any changes in their bodies.

Two years later, Way is studying for her master's degree in public health while working as the director of food and nutrition at Northeast Rehabilitation.

Rolph Noack, took the microphone for a few minutes before the participants left to explore the other events being offered during the day. A Durham resident, Noack had breast cancer seven years ago.

"All the commercials on TV have women in them when they talk about breast cancer," he said. "I would like you be aware of this and let the advertisers know that men can get breast cancer, too."

Participants had the opportunity to explore an open market, sit and chat in a "tea room," indulge in spa services and take part in crafts during the day. One craft was to paint a tile that will be mounted with others from the day into a frame to be hung in the hospital's oncology department.